Raiders Training Camp Report 10: Biggest Winners & Losers So Far

HENDERSON, Nev.—On a dry day with a nice, cool breeze coming off the mountains, bringing some relief from the scorching heat, it didn’t lower the temperature in one of the most competitive training camps I have seen for the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Gauntlet

I once heard training camp described as a gauntlet more than an event, and it certainly is this year. While some positions are clearly settled on a team with multiple talented players, nearly every other position is a fierce battle.

It is just what Klint Kubiak wants.

Multiple players have stood out so far for various reasons, but what has intrigued me from my front-row spot on the sidelines is the overhaul and changes being made not just by individual players, but also by the coaches and the franchise as a whole.

I am going to specifically talk about several veterans and rookies, but first, let’s look at some of the themes we are witnessing firsthand from the franchise's direction.

Trending Themes

1. The Raiders desperately needed a culture change after the 2025 collapse, and expertly, GM John Spytek has executed that plan. But a GM can’t do it from the team’s third-floor executive offices. That is a job for Klint Kubiak, and assistant head coach Mike McCoy talked about the new culture here in the desert with the Silver and Black.

"Well, Coach [Kubiak] has done an outstanding job, number one, of developing the culture here and how he wants us to practice every day and laying out the plan."

"We spent a lot of time in the offseason program, and we got back from vacation making sure everything was detailed, every minute to be as efficient as possible with the way we meet from the first time they walk in the building till the time they leave at night, just to make sure that we're helping these players be the best they can be and help build the best team come the opener."

2. It is a team effort in this building, and the roster of talent that Spytek and his terrific team have accumulated is terrific young talent. A fact that coaching staff like McCoy greatly appreciate. “Give Spy [John Spytek] and his staff a ton of credit. They work endless hours, and as a coaching staff, we can't thank the personnel department enough.” But, he wasn’t done.

Fernando Mendoza | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

“There's nothing better than seeing when you get to the 53-man roster, and you have a couple of those guys that the scouts jumped on the table for and did a great job of finding those players that fit us and can help us win. And the great thing here is what Coach [Kubiak] is doing to give those guys an opportunity."

"You see the number of reps that they're getting, and coaches told them, 'Hey listen, eventually we're going to start cutting back reps, but you have X number of practices to show us what you can do, and you'll create your own spot on this roster.'"

The Players

Multiple players had good days today. But I am going to talk about seven veterans and four rookies as the Raiders continue to march towards their first preseason game one week from tonight at Allegiant Stadium, versus the Arizona Cardinals.

The Rookies

QB Fernando Mendoza

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner continues to display all the things that NFL executives raved about before the draft. He has only thrown two interceptions in camp. One today wasn’t even his fault, and if you had asked me before the season what I thought he would be at for INTs at this point, I would have guessed eight.

Coachable and teachable, the young man continues to impress as he learns every day and shows off his tremendous leadership and arm strength as a harbinger for the future.

S Treydan Stukes

The former Arizona Wildcat is a smooth mix of speed and athleticism. He is a young man who can flip his hips and run, or step up into the box and take people on. He has the skill set and potential to grow into what Taron Johnson has become.

Raiders’ S coach Matt Robinson bragged on his young protégé. "As a rookie, with handling the amount of install that we have and putting it into a new defense, it can be a lot. But he's a smart kid, and he's taken to it. He's picked it up well. For him moving forward, it's just about trusting his keys, trusting his eyes, and now going out and making plays and letting his talent shine.”

I asked Johnson about Stukes, whom I have seen more than once offer tutelage to, and what he is teaching him.

"I would say I think that comes with time. I feel like I've been playing for a while now. I've played a lot of games, so just having that experience has helped me see the game. I feel a little bit better than maybe most people, and I feel like I can slow down a little bit."

CB Hezekiah Masses

This young man has been one of the early stars for sure. The fluidity of his hips, combined with his ability to blanket people and move off of his man and up in coverage and support, is nothing short of terrific. He made several plays today when he had the hot or initial read for a QB, and they had to move off of his man because of that coverage. It isn’t his fault if he doesn’t get any stats when they won’t throw at him.

Veteran WR Jalen Nailor said of his Silver and Black teammate, whom he faces every day in practice, "He's a terrific player. He's long, he plays with his length, so that suits him well, and he can run. So just having that type of stuff from a young cornerback, it's very promising for us and for his future. He's a great player, he's humble, quiet guy. He just goes out there and just plays ball."

WR Malik Benson

The freshman wideout continues to perform at a high level. He is incredibly talented when the QB moves to another receiver and gets downfield to block. Today, it was very evident that he has worked on his commitment to blocking in the running game, but another skill set has emerged that is setting him apart as well.

When the play is not designed for him, he decoys it well, engaging the defender and selling his role. It was impressive to watch.

Malik Benson | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Zach Azzanni, the Raiders' WR coach, bragged about his rookie.

“I knew he had the skill set to do it. It just doesn't always have to show up in college. Sometimes you just run real fast, which is what he can do. And then all the nuances in the game, that's our job to teach him. And like I said, he's worked at it. He's got a long, long way to go, but I'm pleased with where he's at because I knew he had the skill set to do it. Now, he’s just got to be more consistent in doing it."

The Veterans

Atonio Mafi, Spencwer Burford, Kolton Miller | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

G Jackson Powers-Johnson (JPJ) vs. Caleb Rogers

For the first time, all camp, there was some movement in the offensive line. I previewed the G battle in detail in my position preview. The biggest battle on the team is RG, where today, Caleb Rogers, who has had an outstanding camp, started taking some reps with the first-string. I said before the season that I expected Rogers at some point to make his move, and today, clearly, could be the start of it.

JPJ was not his usual verbose self when talking about the competition. “Just competition and having fun playing football.”

QB Kirk Cousins

The veteran QB continues to work his magic in camp, leading his offense, maneuvering players, and delivering perfect balls to Brock Bowers and Jalen Nailor. Despite a brisk 25 MPH wind sweeping off the mountains into the Valley, he still consistently found his guys downfield with a cannon of an arm for terrific gains. It was not a crisp, great day for the offense, but none of that was on Kirk.

McCoy raved about his leadership on this team.

"Oh, he's a vet. There's not a lot of things out there that are going to fool him. I've been very fortunate to be around some of the greatest, and with the protection knowledge and the system and just having played, he's been in this system before with Klint [Kubiak]. He knows it, and he can direct all the traffic. So, you can't put enough value on that."

WR Jalen Nailor

The proud Michigan State Spartan ran precise routes today and kept in perfect timing. Of the WRs, he is clearly the one Cousins has the most chemistry with, and he is running with the same confidence he had as a young man at Bishop Gorman.

He played with Cousins for two years in Minnesota, and for the pride of the Vegas Valley, he thinks the camaraderie is already back and will only get better.

Jalen Nailor | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"Absolutely, man, we had those first two years in Minnesota. And coming back here now, he said he's going to lean on me a little bit just knowing that we had that connection. So, I feel like it's going to build each and every day."

TE Brock Bowers

While Nailor is Cousins' favorite WR target, let’s make it clear that Bowers is his favorite, by far. That isn’t a slam on Nailor; it is praise for the best tight end in all of football. Today, he ran routes like he was a computer simulation and made adjustments when Cousins' balls got caught up in the 25 MPH winds. Another practice, another Bowers highlight reel.

Raiders WR Jalen Nailor made it very clear why having Brock Bowers helps a team like the Raiders, and the impact is enormous.

"I mean, it makes it easier for us, man, just having that single coverage knowing that Brock's going to draw as much attention to him. It allows us; me, Tre [Tucker], Jack [Bech], all the receivers, to go out there and just play free, play fast, and win our one-on-one battles."

DT Tonka Hemingway

With a smile from ear to ear, the young man continued his second training camp, not even looking like his first. Back is the smile that shone on his face at South Carolina, and while off the field, he is as wonderful a young man you can find (props to his parents); he is a one-person wrecking ball on the field. He is moving with all of his bulk back, forth, and laterally, and is consistently changing the passing angles with his leaps in the air, trying to deflect passes. He has batted down multiple so far.

I asked the young man about his smile being back, and football being fun again.

Tonka Hemingway | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"Oh, well, people tell me all the time to smile a little bit more. It's just something I never really did. So, this year I tried to open up a little bit more, smile a little bit more, just get to know the guys a little bit more, and just have fun out there knowing this something I get to do. Just enjoying every day."

G Spencer Burford

When the Raiders signed him this past offseason, many people questioned it. I was not one of them, and I applauded the move. He was allowed to walk from San Francisco, not because he lacked talent, far from it; he was allowed to leave because they are a terrific drafting franchise and have cheaper players behind him.

He isn’t even in his prime, and he looks excellent sandwiched between LT Kolton Miller and the best IOL in the NFL, Tyler Linderbaum, at C. I asked Burford after practice today about how big a blessing it is to be on a new line, next to those two elite talents, and he wasn’t shy about talking about it.

Spencer Burford | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"Bro, it's a blessing. It's nothing short of a blessing. Just the experience that we have in between us three guys. Like you said, you got nine-year vet and of course, you got a three-time Pro Bowler. With those guys, as far as communication, just making sure that we're all on the same page, making sure that we all move as a unit, not just us three, but as a whole line as a unit, all five."

"We've got to have all five go out there and play as one, and just making sure that everybody's on the same accord as far as communication and technique, from checks to adjustments. Just making sure that everybody communicates with each other. I love playing next to those guys."

LB Tommy 'Freaking' Eichenberg

Tommy Eichenberg | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The proud Ohio State Buckeye continues to play with force and even shows off some newly developed skills in the passing game. This is his third season, and I have not seen him play this well or be this comfortable—something his LB coach, Ronell Williams, is also noticing.

“Tommy, as we all know, is very instinctive. You know, when the pads came on, a real football player continued to come to life, right. Violence showing up at the point of attack. But trusting himself, you can see that a little bit more. Just trusting what he sees and playing fast.”

LB Cody Lindenberg

Credit the other half of the “Bergs.” Cody Lindenberg hasn’t had a bad camp at all, but he is continuing to flourish and making plays. Today was a very good day for him as he continued to stack good practice upon good practice and showed his high football IQ—something Ronell Williams loved to see.

“Credit to the young man, right? He built trust over the offseason. Like we talked about, who's ever on the field, we mix and match the units. And he built the trust, he said, ‘Coach, I'm trustworthy through his play.’ Getting lined up, setting the front, learning the new scheme, and doing it at multiple positions, which helps him play fast at his primary position."

"I love the young man. He just got married. He's taking steps as a man. You can see the transition, and I've only known him for a few months, but I can see the growth in the man.”

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